Israel has been doing good work this whole conflict; they've stayed strictly neutral in the Russia-West and Russia-Ukraine crisis and have avoided slapping sanctions on Russia, or even voting against it in the UN. Israel is well aware that a new Russia-West Cold War could easily end up with advanced weapons being sent to the Iranians. Israel pledged to continue agricultural exports to Russia and even triple them in the coming year despite EU unhappiness at Israel occupying their former market share; albeit that was more the Israelis getting back at the EU after the EU levelled sanctions against West Bank agricultural produce. The Israelis used a strike in their foreign ministry as the excuse for their abscension in the UN, while their general neutrality they explained to the US as that of needing to maintain good relations with Russia for the sake of their own security and interests; which the US bought.And that reason is certainly a real one. However they're also hedging their bets.

They're basically doing two things. Number one is to try and use what influence they have, to calm the tensions and prevent the crisis from escelating; that offer of mediation being an example and earlier initiatives too. Number two, and most importantly - they want to seperate their relations with Moscow out of the prism of Russia-Western relations; that's to say that they want to have independent relations with Moscow - and maintain neutrality, even while remaining an ally of the US.This IMO is a perfectely noble and understandable goal.One should be remember that countries paraded as far more 'independent' and 'sovereign', like Germany, France, etc... have fallen in completely with the US line and are having their arms twisted around behind their backs. Israel used every trick in the book to avoid throwing the book at Russia along with everyone else, and that should not go unnoticed by Moscow, they went out on a limb and risked upsetting their all-powerful patron.

Much as it may be unpopular on this forum to suggest, but I think Russia should reprecioate the gesture and avoid making any moves in Iran for now. This may be a good chance to slowly draw one of the US's most dependable allies away from it.By all means, sell the Iranians weapons, but nothing outside the current UN sanctions regime. Iran serves little purpose at the moment. America no longer sees Iran as their number one threat - but Russia; the poles have flipped and the US would sooner now elicit Iran's co-operation against Russia than the other way around. The US is focussed on Europe and will not attack the Iranians for the forseable future, unless the worldwide political situation becomes desperate due to unforseen factors.

Iran wants to use contacts with the Eurasian Economic Union for its exports to Russia, Iran's ambassador said in Moscow.

MOSCOW, January 27 (Sputnik) – Tehran expects to sign a contract or memorandum of mutual understanding in 2015 with the Eurasian Economic Union to begin exports to Russia, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanaei told RIA Novosti in an interview Tuesday.

“I think that in 2015 we need to work on this so that Iran has concrete economic contracts with the EEU…Iran plans to use this opportunity for its exports to Russia and other [countries],” Sanaei said.

“It’s possible that some sort of contract or memorandum on mutual understanding needs to be signed,” the ambassador added.

He said that currently there are high tariffs on Iranian exports to Russia for goods.

The ambassador also said that Moscow and Tehran had plans to switch to joint accounts using their national currencies.

“In order to do this, meetings need to be held between the deputy heads of the Central Banks of Russia and Iran. I hope this visit will happen soon,” Sanaei said.

Iran wants to use contacts with the Eurasian Economic Union for its exports to Russia, Iran's ambassador said in Moscow.

MOSCOW, January 27 (Sputnik) – Tehran expects to sign a contract or memorandum of mutual understanding in 2015 with the Eurasian Economic Union to begin exports to Russia, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanaei told RIA Novosti in an interview Tuesday.

“I think that in 2015 we need to work on this so that Iran has concrete economic contracts with the EEU…Iran plans to use this opportunity for its exports to Russia and other [countries],” Sanaei said.

“It’s possible that some sort of contract or memorandum on mutual understanding needs to be signed,” the ambassador added.

He said that currently there are high tariffs on Iranian exports to Russia for goods.

The ambassador also said that Moscow and Tehran had plans to switch to joint accounts using their national currencies.

“In order to do this, meetings need to be held between the deputy heads of the Central Banks of Russia and Iran. I hope this visit will happen soon,” Sanaei said.

Expect US regime change operations to pick up pace. Iran has the second largest natural gas reserves after Russia.These are vital to any "cut Russia out of the EU gas market" ploys.

“Chinese partners were very careful in regard to this integration in the beginning. They simply needed to make sure that it works. Now they show interest in increasing cooperation not only with the separate countries – Kazakhstan, Belarus, Russia, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan in the future, but with the union as such. And as far as I know they even proposed to us, the members of the union, to think about creation of a free trade zone in the future,” Denisov said.

Denisov added that both sides are already discussing mechanisms to cooperate in the future.

The Eurasian Economic Union, which includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, came into force on January 1. Kyrgyzstan's membership, agreed to in December 2014, is expected to come into force in May.

Werewolf wrote:Smother them in their own dirt, they are enemies and are the cronies behind Ukraine and anti-slavic actions, pure disgust.

The germanic and romanic nations, with their imperialist and racial sense of superiority and right of enslavement have done far more kill of slavs than the jews can think of.The Byzantine and genoese slave trade of slavs was not jewish.

The drang nach ost of the middle ages was not jewish

The austrian catholic genocide of malrussians and carpathian russians in the 17-18 centuries was not jewish

The victorian theories of the anglosaxon racial dominance over slavs was not jewish

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the time has come to talk about the possibility of forming a currency union between Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

ASTANA (Sputnik) – The time has come for Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan to look into creating a currency union, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday.

“We think the time has come to talk about the possibility of forming a currency union. Working shoulder to shoulder, it’s easier to react to external financial and economic threats and protect our joint market,” Putin said after a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in the capital of Kazakhstan.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the time has come to talk about the possibility of forming a currency union between Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

ASTANA (Sputnik) – The time has come for Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan to look into creating a currency union, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday.

“We think the time has come to talk about the possibility of forming a currency union. Working shoulder to shoulder, it’s easier to react to external financial and economic threats and protect our joint market,” Putin said after a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in the capital of Kazakhstan.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the time has come to talk about the possibility of forming a currency union between Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

ASTANA (Sputnik) – The time has come for Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan to look into creating a currency union, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday.

“We think the time has come to talk about the possibility of forming a currency union. Working shoulder to shoulder, it’s easier to react to external financial and economic threats and protect our joint market,” Putin said after a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in the capital of Kazakhstan.

MOSCOW, March 30. /TASS/. A free trade deal between the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and Vietnam will be signed in the coming two months, Eurasian Economic Commission Trade Minister Andrey Slepynov said on Monday.

"We hope the first pilot project will be launched in the next couple of months, namely, an agreement on a free trade zone with Vietnam will be signed," the Russian official said.

The Treaty on establishing the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) was signed by the presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in Astana on May 29, 2014 and went into effect from January 1, 2015. The post-Soviet trade bloc established to ensure a free movement of goods, services, capital and workforce on its territory currently comprises Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Armenia.

The free trade deal between the EEU and Vietnam will help expand access to the Vietnamese market and the market of the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member states, the Russian official said.

"Of course, this is a very serious initiative and it is being studied thoroughly, taking all risks into account. Nevertheless, we have found the balances that generally suit all the sectors and we don’t see any substantial risks that would bring about undesirable or unacceptable results for our industry," Slepynov said.

This pilot project will help build up efforts for creating free trade zones selectively with the countries that have good economic prospects and where a political dialog has been established, he said.

MOSCOW, March 30. /TASS/. A free trade deal between the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and Vietnam will be signed in the coming two months, Eurasian Economic Commission Trade Minister Andrey Slepynov said on Monday.

"We hope the first pilot project will be launched in the next couple of months, namely, an agreement on a free trade zone with Vietnam will be signed," the Russian official said.

The Treaty on establishing the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) was signed by the presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in Astana on May 29, 2014 and went into effect from January 1, 2015. The post-Soviet trade bloc established to ensure a free movement of goods, services, capital and workforce on its territory currently comprises Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Armenia.

The free trade deal between the EEU and Vietnam will help expand access to the Vietnamese market and the market of the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member states, the Russian official said.

"Of course, this is a very serious initiative and it is being studied thoroughly, taking all risks into account. Nevertheless, we have found the balances that generally suit all the sectors and we don’t see any substantial risks that would bring about undesirable or unacceptable results for our industry," Slepynov said.

This pilot project will help build up efforts for creating free trade zones selectively with the countries that have good economic prospects and where a political dialog has been established, he said.

Very good news, hopefully in the following weeks Vietnam will announce there non-participation in the TPP.

Viktor wrote:@GarryB - I think it would be appropriate to change the title to "Unified thread about EuroAzian Union"

and now the nuclearbomb

Russia invites Iran to join key Eurasia trading bloc

I'm of two minds on this.

On the one hand - Iran is a country with great-potential, including the potential for a great economy IMO.

On the other hand.. now's not really the time. They're ruled by Islamists, with backward laws, and they're obssessed with Zionists. Can't be good for business.

An economic union would tie Russia very closesly to Iran; and if Iran makes unpredictable and dangerous decisions than this could be dangerous for Russia too.If it's 'tamed' a little then certainly it could become a good candidate for the SCO, and in time perhaps the Eurasian Economic Union too.

Viktor wrote:@GarryB - I think it would be appropriate to change the title to "Unified thread about EuroAzian Union"

and now the nuclearbomb

Russia invites Iran to join key Eurasia trading bloc

I'm of two minds on this.

On the one hand - Iran is a country with great-potential, including the potential for a great economy IMO.

On the other hand.. now's not really the time. They're ruled by Islamists, with backward laws, and they're obssessed with Zionists. Can't be good for business.

An economic union would tie Russia very closesly to Iran; and if Iran makes unpredictable and dangerous decisions than this could be dangerous for Russia too.If it's 'tamed' a little then certainly it could become a good candidate for the SCO, and in time perhaps the Eurasian Economic Union too.

Before anyone can "tame" Iran, they need to build trust with Iran. Mutual trade is the first step.

On the other hand.. now's not really the time. They're ruled by Islamists, with backward laws, and they're obssessed with Zionists. Can't be good for business.

Sure it is the Iranians that are obsessed with Zionists, not the fact that Zionists are constantly killing iranian scientists, constantly threating iran with military invasion, constantly funding the iran 5th columnists and funding terrorists all over the place. It is not iran that threatens its neighbours it is lunatic religious fanatic state like Israel that does it.